A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section.
Compressor blades in the gas turbine engine are the foremost rotating components of a gas turbine engine and are subject to considerable loads by centrifugal forces, gas pressure, and vibration of the airfoils stimulated by the flow medium. Additionally, compressor blades are subject to impact with foreign objects, such as from bird strikes or ice.
The compressor blades experience significant loads from the impact resulting from the ingestion of a bird or ice. Some compressor blades have a small leading edge radius that is pointed to cut through the foreign object quickly in order to reduce the impact and loading of the compressor blade. The pointed leading edges on the compressor blades are beneficial for aerodynamic purposes, but are susceptible to damage and erosion that can negatively impact aerodynamic efficiency and require maintenance more frequently. Therefore, there is a need for an airfoil structure, such as a compressor blade or a fan blade, to be able to withstand ingestion of foreign objects and yet be durable, require low maintenance, and be easy to manufacture.